If you’re a real estate agent or broker this show is for you! Onion Juice is both a podcast and a movement, designed to wake up and redefine the real estate industry. So we can build a business we truly love, make a greater impact, while eliminating the stress of it all. They drink orange juice. We drink onion juice. They chase people. We attract people.
Hosted by Neil Mathweg a veteran agent, CEO of Madison's fastest growing firm, coach and author. Let’s join the movement now!

Today, Karin Carr joins me on the OJ to share how agents can leverage YouTube to build a business! YouTube is often said to be the second largest search engine in the world after Google itself. Every day, people watch hundreds of millions of hours of video on YouTube, generating billions of views. Having a strong YouTube presence can have an incredible impact on your brand reach and will give you the chance to engage with the millions of visitors of using the platform.

Increase search engine optimization

YouTube is owned by Google and it’s the second most popular search engine on the planet. In real estate, we all know how hard it is to get ranked on the first page of Google because of syndication sites like Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.com. However, Google will often sprinkle one or two videos into the first page when it thinks that the videos are highly relevant to a person’s search – And these videos come straight from YouTube. So the biggest benefit of creating YouTube videos is definitely SEO.

Searchable vs social

Social media is meant for quick blurbs, which get pushed off the radar and forgotten nearly as quickly as they were posted. A good YouTube video, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite; it snowballs, picks up views, and starts climbing with search engine results, 24/7, worldwide. Karin says it is important to treat YouTube like a search engine, not like a social media platform. This means you can use content to target a specific audience. For example, one video might target local homeowners looking to sell, while another might target local buyers looking for homes in your area or out of town buyers. Your content, title, tags, and keywords will all have an effect on how people find this content.

Build your attraction pillar with videos

People only do business with people that they know, like, trust, and remember. Video allows you to do all of these at once with ease. When people see you on camera, they get to see all of the little nuances of your personality. From there, you can build an intimate connection with that person. Down the road, when they are ready to buy or sell real estate, you are the one that they are going to remember.

Make It Easy For Google & YouTube To Understand Your Video Content

Taking the extra steps to make your videos easier to find and share will let you take advantage of all that YouTube and videos have to offer along the customer path to purchase. Videos take content to an entirely new level. Karin says your title should be a few words long and include the major keyword for which you want to your video to rank. She also shares how to use tags that fit with your content and that will interest the people for whom the video was intended.

The Juice Bar is open! In today’s episode I’ll answer your questions about social media, knowing the right time to leave your job, daily routines you can use as an agent and how to encourage a spouse that is frustrated or discouraged about your work as a real estate agent. Chances are, you have asked many of the same questions that these listeners have raised. Join me for this Q & A and then join us over on the Facebook group to interact!

What is the most important daily activity for a new agent?

Follow-up is the most important daily activity a new agent can do. Chances are, you have a list of people who talked to you at one point because they were interested in buying or selling a house. Maybe the timing wasn’t right, maybe life was crazy for a bit...whatever the reason, It’s time to follow-up with that person, they will appreciate the personal communication!

Some of you are running Facebook ads, but not following up with the leads that are generated! That’s crazy! If you have clients from Facebook, your method to attract business is working, so make the time to reach out and provide outstanding customer service! If you do that well, you may not have to chase business as much, as satisfied customers love to share their experience with friends!

As a real estate agent, how can I use YouTube to learn, and promote my business?

There are thousands of videos on YouTube that talk about real estate, so the question “which videos should I watch?” is a valid one. Here’s the problem though, sometimes too much of a good thing is not a good thing. There is so much content on YouTube, it may be more of a distraction if you don’t have a clear plan and a vision for how you want to do business. For example, my team is focused on hosting open houses. With that in mind, I might go on YouTube to search for videos from other agents who have mastered open houses, then copy what they do. I learn and improve, but I am not distracted by all of the other “shiny things” that don’t fit into my clear vision. To hear more on this subject, check out the full episode!

How do you know when it's the best time to leave your job and go all in?

If you have struggled with the idea of leaving another job to pursue real estate full time, here is what I would recommend. When you believe in your vision and have your vision dialed in, it's time to go. That sounds simple, maybe even a little scary, but the reality is, your clear vision will motivate you forward, and your needs will be met as a result. If you need help creating a clear plan, I would love to chat with you! Check out the rest of this episode to learn more!

How can an introvert become a successful agent

I love this question! The idea that extroverts are the most successful real estate agents is a misnomer. I suspect that the agents who consider themselves introverts are also some of the most caring, detail-oriented, attentive people in the business. There are advantages to both personalities. The solution is not your personality, introverted or extroverted, but to build a business around your strengths. What are you good at? How do you best communicate with people? If you are introverted, knocking on doors may be the stuff of nightmares...maybe email and social media campaigns are more your speed? Figure out where you thrive and what brings you the most joy, then build your real estate business from those foundations!

Outline of this great episode

[1:15] What is the most important daily activity for a new agent?

[3:15] Every agent needs a clear plan

[3:45] How to treat your business like a new business

[7:30] What YouTube videos new agents should watch?

[10:00] Other than routine shows, how do you break into YouTube marketing?

[13:00] Should I join a real estate team?

[16:30] How can I get a negative spouse on board with my business?

[21:00] What are some good resources on the art of negotiation?

[23:45] How do you know when it's best to leave your full-time job and go all in?

I hate to break it to you, but if you’re treating LinkedIn like an old-fashioned Rolodex, you’re doing it wrong. Nearly every industry uses LinkedIn to find and vet job candidates, and over 90% of recruiters rely on the site, according to data from the Society of Human Resource Management. So your profile can’t just be a storage unit for career contacts — it needs to be a living, breathing record of your professional life. Cathy Yerges from RevGrow joins me on this episode to share how real estate agents can maximize their connections on LinkedIn. Cathy says Linked In in the sleeping giant of 2018. You don’t want to miss what she has to say!

Optimize your profile

Be sure to complete all of the sections including education, certifications, interests and the other section options your profile provides, when applicable. Your profile gives you the option to include a Twitter handle, three websites, company web address, phone number, email address and more — neatly placed in an address file at the lower right-hand corner of your intro box, alongside your LinkedIn URL. This makes it easy for you to find info to contact people on your target list and simpler for hiring managers to contact you.

It’s a social network. So be social

LinkedIn can be a powerful networking tool — if you let it. Instead of just saving the connections you’ve met throughout your professional life, actively engage with contacts by liking, sharing, and commenting on their activity. It’s fine to connect with someone you’ve never met, but make sure you send a customized message in your invitation. Cathy suggests following up with anyone who looks at your profile. The key is to engage people, instead of just broadcasting what it is you do.

Company pages

LinkedIn's foundations are built upon individual personal profiles, which usually showcase the user's skills, not those of the company they work for. LinkedIn members use the site for numerous reasons, two of which include; following and networking with other professionals or following companies to hear of news and developments from that organization. Unlike your personal LinkedIn profile, your company page can help you display relevant content and services.

Media companies that happen to sell real estate

You guys have heard me say it, the goal is to be media companies that happen to sell real estate. When used effectively, LinkedIn is just one way that agents can provide value and attract more business, instead of chase it. Just like you do for your real estate blog and other social media accounts, posting a significant amount of content is essential to growing leads. Look at some of the best real estate agents and firms on LinkedIn and you’ll notice a trend: They all post content of varying types — links to blog posts, opinion pieces, articles, and curated pieces. Any visual content you create (as long as it’s informative) can help your LinkedIn page. Just as photos, images, and graphics perform well on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, LinkedIn provides another medium you can use to publish multimedia and advance your real estate social media marketing.

Outline of this great episode

[1:00] LinkedIn is the sleeping giant 2018

[3:00] The “Must Do” list for your profile from Cathy Yerges

[4:00] Make it easy for people to contact you

[7:15] Always create value

[9:30] LinkedIn advertising explained

[12:45] Need some LinkedIn assistance? Cathy can help

[13:15] Should you become a premier member?

[14:15] Company pages

[16:45] Present your profile and tell people why they should do business with you

If you not seeing success as a real estate agent, it’s probably because you are not being consistent. Of all the tactics and strategies available to an agent, I think being consistent with your plan is one of the most critical. It’s easy to chase the “shiny objects” or jump from one strategy to another, especially if you don’t feel like one is working. If you are doing this, you are wasting a lot of time an energy. Here is a silver bullet that you can bank on: work hard consistently. Check out this episode to hear more about how you can develop the right plan, set that plan in motion, then rinse and repeat.

Trust the process

You have probably heard the old adage about the gold miners who were digging, but gave up before striking it rich, just a few feet from the gold. Had they dug a little deeper, they would have seen a payday. The moral of the story? Trust the process. If you have been selling real estate for a while, but not seeing the level of success you desire, it’s either because you are following a plan that doesn’t fit you well, you are not being consistent, or some combination of the two. If you are just starting out, you may need a little more time in the business, combined with a congruent plan. I would love to help you get there. If you have been at it awhile, you may need to focus on one thing, then maximize your efforts.

Department of redundancy department

If you want to see success in one area consistently, you will have to repeat a process over and over again. This makes sense when we are talking about fitness or saving or positive habits...strangely enough, many real estate agents don’t follow this same approach when it comes to growing their business. Assuming that you have a great plan in place, the real power comes from your consistency. If you want to grow your business and develop long-lasting relationships with your sphere of influence, listening to this Onion Juice episode is a great place to start!

Develop a congruent plan

As I mentioned above, having the right plan is critical when considering the best approach to selling real estate. My team is focused on mastering open house events and sending out newsletters. I have been successful with this approach, but that may not be the plan you should follow. The truth is, everything can work if you work it.

The results will outweigh the effort...eventually

When you first start selling real estate, chances are the effort will outweigh the results at first. You will spend a lot of time doing things that don’t seem to be working, which is where “trust the process” comes in. As you stay focused and avoid the shiny distractions, the results will soon outweigh the effort. It will be easier to attract leads, people will seek YOU out, instead of you chasing them, you will start to gain momentum...these are the rewarding moments that mean you are doing something right!

Outline of this great episode

[0:45] Consistency is the most important thing in your business

[1:30] Trust the process

[2:30] For a little while, your efforts will outweigh the results...be patient

If you have ever googled “how do I manage my time,” you probably know what time blocking is...if not, just imagine you break your day up into 1-hour blocks, then assign a task for each hour. Great strategy, right? Since this is the Onion Juice, and we do things differently here. I want to share with you a better way to manage your time and tasks. I have been using this system with great results! Listen to this episode to learn how day-blocking can help you maximize your workday productivity!

Setting up your daily schedule shouldn’t take all day

You have great intentions to organize your day into time blocks. If you can carve out the time to organize your daily schedule, you are further ahead in the game than most people. I used to organize my schedule in blocks, but I found it didn’t take long for unexpected meetings and conversations to cut into that time, throwing my whole day off. Ever been there? Of course! This is when I discovered day-blocking.

Why I switched to day-blocking

Scheduling every hour of every day was tough, and it didn't take long before that process seemed to be taxing and tedious. I didn’t always make good choices in this practice, and soon realized I was not alone in this process. So I changed it. Here is the new system I use every week: On Mondays, I call all of my hot leads. Tuesdays I call all of my clients to give them an update on where we are in the process, be that transaction details, listing details listing or any new listings on the MLS. On Wednesday, I contact my top 25. These are my referral partners or other people I am collaborating with. Thursdays are spent on the phone with my entire client list, organized by the alphabet. By the end of the year, every client has received at least two phone calls from me. On Fridays, I look over expired listings and the most recent posts on the MLS for my b-list clients.

Managing my sphere of influence and the chase

This schedule works well, but you might be wondering how I manage all of the other projects, like this podcast, the I Love Madison Show, the other agents I work with in real estate and a social media presence.

Every Monday, I promote the latest episode of the onion juice, as well as the I love Madison show. This means that I am scheduling tweets and facebook posts and sharing the content. Mondays are also when I meet with my real estate team. Tuesdays are my newsletter day. I use service for life and have been incredibly happy with the results. On Wednesday, I record the I Love Madison Show. Thursday is used to record the Onion Juice podcast, before sending it off to the editing team. Friday is my video production or Youtube day.

If you want to grow, hire up

The reason I can manage so many things at once is because I hire up and automate where I can. After recording the podcast episodes, I turn the audio over to Podcast Fast Track, where they prep the audio and write (these) show notes. Many of the social media posts can be automated and scheduled, which saves time. Eventually, I will hire someone to help me promote the podcast episodes as they publish each week. This is how I hire up! Your schedule and activities will look different, of course, but the principle is the same.

Whether you’re a new real estate agent or a pro who’s been in the game for years, it’s not uncommon to feel uncertain about how to structure your business, grow your lead database, build relationships, and, ultimately, maximize profits. One common solution to help with these concerns is to hire an experienced, reputable real estate coach - in other words, someone who has dealt with everything you’re going through today and can guide your career in the right direction. This is exactly what I do with Roundbox, the Real Estate coaching program I created to help launch new agents and revitalize agents who have been in the game for awhile but seemed to have lost momentum.

The 3-Pillar Approach

A freshly-licensed agent doesn’t have past numbers to look back on or to analyze what worked and what didn’t. They’re trying to increase production and set up their business, but don’t yet have a working business plan in place, or an idea of what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a real estate coach, I help new agents define and reach goals using a three-pillar approach. These pillars are 1. Your Sphere of Influence, 2. Chase Business and 3. Attract Business. The goal of these three pillars is to help you create a well-rounded plan that sets you up for strong growth and success!

Your sphere of influence

Building your sphere of influence as a real estate agent is one of the most important things you can do. If done well, you can expect to see new business from about 10% of your sphere. There are several ways you can accomplish this. Personally, I use newsletters. Not the digital ones that people delete...I’m talking about sending the real paper to my list. Since few people are still doing this, there is not a lot of noise in this space and people are more likely to share an interesting newsletter than forward an email. The trick to developing your sphere of influence is to be consistent. Roundbox is designed to help you figure out what works best for your business, then help you develop a plan to help you influence your sphere.

How to chase business without the burnout

The second pillar is chasing business. This is often the only pillar that agents focus on. After chasing business for a while, many agents get tired or burnt out and lose the motivation to continue. I believe there is a way to chase business that can be productive and profitable without the burnout. It’s possible, but it takes focus and tenacity to avoid all of the “shiny things” that can distract you. My team is focused on using newsletters and open-houses to increase business. There are hundreds of ways the chase can be accomplished, but what is right for you? Listen to this onion juice episode to hear more on how you can start the chase!

Beyond the chase: what you need to know about attracting business

If you have listened to the Onion Juice before, you know that I often talk about being “media companies that happen to sell real estate.” This is how I attract business instead of always chasing it. In some of the recent episodes, I talk about a few ways that agents can attract business. My friend Caleb Jahr uses a vlog, I have used Facebook Live and Instagram, as well the recently launched I Love Madison Show, a podcast that highlights the city of Madison, Wisconsin. These are the things that work for me and my company. If you want to know more about how you can attract business as a real estate agent, I would encourage you to schedule a 15-min phone call with me, I would love to share ideas and hear your creativity!

There is a powerful shift that takes place when you start living your life according to a vision, instead of just living to meet your needs! In the last episode, I talked about how to create a vivid vision for your life. This vision helps you to adopt an abundance mindset and focus on what truly matters. This week, we are going to peel back more of that onion and drink a little more on the subject of vision! If you haven’t listened to episode 124, you should go guzzle that first, it’s still fresh!

Needs vs. Vision

When you roll out of bed in the morning and start thinking about your day, do you focus on how you are going to pay bills, or how you are going to use that day to accomplish a grand vision that adds value to your life and to those around you? Truthfully, we all focus on those needs...there are more of them, and they tend to take up more brain space. What would happen though, if we started our day by clarifying what our vivid vision is, then used that vision to guide our schedule? I think your life would be changed...I know mine has been!

Your vision should light a fire in your soul

Having a vision has clarified what I need to focus on each day, and has lit a fire in my soul to see that vision realized. Every day, I get up excited to go to work, excited to continue selling real estate and leading my team. As I clarified my life vision, I shared that with my team, which in turn fired them up! If you are looking to build a team of people, for real estate or otherwise, the best thing you can do is clarify your vivid vision, then share it! As you lead, encourage the people around you to do the same.

Curly hair, and the houses nobody could sell

Recently, I heard a radio commercial for a salon here in Madison that said they specialize in curly hair. As it happens, my daughter has extremely curly hair, so their commercial immediately caught my attention. Ok, but we are talking about real estate, why does curly hair matter? Because it’s a niche. There may be hundreds of other salons I could take my daughter to, but these guys say they specialize in the one that I am focused on. The same concept applies to your real estate business. When I started out as an agent, I focused on expired listings. I communicated that I could sell the houses that other real estate agents could not. Do you think that caught people’s attention? Absolutely. When you focus on a certain niche, it tends to expand. As it expands, you are positioned as an expert in that area, which makes people trust you and want to do business with you!

What real estate niche can you focus on?

If you are a real estate agent that needs a niche, keep listening! There are hundreds of ways you can approach selling real estate. My team has decided to focus on open houses and being media companies that happen to sell real estate. I know other agents who focus on senior care or providing services for elderly people looking to sell a home, downsize, etc. Military families and law enforcement is another area of real estate that you could focus on. Understanding what military families are looking for means you can easily rule out properties that don’t fit, saving you time. There are hundreds of ways to approach this, I would love to hear some of the niches that you guys are focused on! Here’s to a vivid vision and expanding success!

I want you to start living your life according to a vivid vision! Hey juicers, on this episode, I share a powerful concept that will help you stay focused on the vision that drives your company, not just the immediate needs that pop up. The difference is subtle, but the result is remarkable! Listen to this OJ episode to start living according to your vision!

Are you living by a vision or by your needs?

Most of us are used to responding to needs and do everything we can to meet those needs as they arise. This is not inherently bad, those things absolutely need to be addressed, but at what cost? This endless cycle is one reason why people never step into their true purpose. Barry Bennett makes the point that most inventions, scientific advancements, and dramatic accomplishments were done by people who didn’t focus on their need, but rather on something that motivated them. The same is true for how you live your life.

The fires will bow to the vision

Focusing on your needs instead of living according to a grander vision is like running around to put out a bunch of small fires. As long as you are only living to meet your needs, your focus will constantly be on those fires. This is stressful and often means many people never reach their full potential. When you live according to a vision, the fires bow to that vision. It’s fun to work on the things we love, right? We find we have more creativity and passion and energy, things that are usually lacking when we are stressed about meeting the immediate needs in front of us. I am positive there are greater things for you to achieve...stop chasing fires and start chasing your vision!

The abundance mindset

A few episodes ago, I mentioned the abundance mindset vs. the scarcity mindset. I bring it up again because it applies to this concept. If you are just focused on your needs, it’s easy to get into a scarcity mindset. Left unchecked, this scarcity mindset can creep in and affect how you plan for growth, how you hire new team members and undermine your generosity towards others. The opposite is true of the abundance mindset. When the vision is your primary focus, it is easier to understand that the tide raises all ships. You then can lead with creativity and passion. It’s all about the vision. Vision is future, needs are present.

Write down a vivid vision, then move towards it

Here’s what I encourage you to do: write down a vivid vision, then move towards it. This is the critical first step you have to take before you can focus your life and begin to see the abundance that is associated with pursuing that vision. If you are thinking “what does a vivid vision look like,” start by writing down what you want your life to look like in 3-5 years. How old will you be? How old will your children be? What do you want your sales volume to be for your company? How many team members do you plan to have? These are all great places to start. Once you get this stuff written down, figure out what your three pillars will be, then focus your attention solely on those three pillars. Remember, the results of your life are found in the actions you take.

Have you heard that Facebook changes are on the way? It's understandable and I actually love the things that Facebook is going to do. The reason I say that is that lately, Facebook has become less of an enjoyable place for me to spend my time, and that means the people I want to engage with aren't spending as much time there either. Why has it become so unattractive? It's because of all the clickbait and irrelevant posts that wind up in my Facebook feed. But the changes Facebook is making here at the beginning of 2018 are going to help us be more effective in reaching the very people we want to connect with. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I explain why.

The Facebook changes happening are focused on people more than brands. But don’t panic, it’s a good thing for you media companies that happen to sell real estate

It may sound funny to say it this way but the changes Facebook is making and its algorithm are focused more on people than they are on Brands. Yes, Facebook is still an advertising platform and they will still sell advertisements and enable you to target their audience, but it looks like they are tired of user's Facebook feeds being crammed full of junk. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I clarify exactly what Facebook is doing, why the changes are happening, and the impact it should have on us media companies who happen to sell real estate.

Using engagement bait on Facebook is not going to work anymore - it’s going to accomplish ZERO reach on in days ahead. Stay up with these changes

If you have been using Facebook as a place to post clickbait type content, you are about to receive a big wake-up call. Those kinds of posts will no longer even show up on Facebook feeds because Facebook has changed its algorithms. The post that will be highlighted the most are the ones that get engagement, actual comments and conversations going on. That means as a media company that happens to sell real estate, you need to rethink your strategy and build relationships through Facebook, which is what you should have been doing all along. On this episode, Jason Frazier and I highlight the ways we can approach these changes that will be beneficial to us and to those we're trying to reach.

For people who truly want to use social media to build relationships, the Facebook changes coming down the pike are a wonderful thing

If you've been using Facebook and social media in general for that matter to build relationships with people so that you can serve them better, you'll be happy about the changes that are coming to Facebook in 2018. It's wonderful to know that all the junk that is aimed at getting people to click, share, and take some sort of action to purchase the product, are going to go away. Facebook's plan is to highlight engaging content that truly connects people. Isn't that the purpose of social media in the first place? I love it, and on this episode, Jason Frazier and I are going to discuss how you should think about these changes in why you should consider it to be a good thing.

Live videos are going to be even more important as the changes coming to Facebook are rolled out

If you have already been doing live videos you know the power they have when it comes to engaging with people. That is exactly the kind of results that Facebook's changes are aimed at producing. That means that live video is going to rank much higher and be more noticeable in Facebook feeds than ever before. So if you are not doing live video, you need to start. Figure out a way to focus on a cause or a topic that will engage the audience you're trying to reach. That's going to make your posts rank higher, give you the opportunity to build authentic relationships so that you can be known, liked, and trusted, and eventually wind up with new customers because of that engagement. This episode highlights everything we know so far about the Facebook changes coming down the pike.

Outline of this great episode

[7:33] Facebook changes are freaking people out - Jason’s going to run it down

[8:06] A new focus on relationships with people

[8:48] How the Facebook changes are being implemented and what it means for you

[12:15] People who’ve been doing this wrong (non personal) are going to be hit

[18:04] Why you should never hire another company to post on your behalf

[22:45] We aren’t sure what tactics are going to work - but be personal most of all

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

When it comes time to make a course correction in anything that we are doing, it can be a very disconcerting time. In the last episode, the course correction I announced must have seemed like an entire change of focus to many of you. I know that by the feedback I received via social media, especially in The Onion Juice Facebook Group. I get it. I didn't intend to discourage any of you, I wanted to give you a tip about where I see things going. In this episode, I'm trying to clear up the confusion and give you some tips about making the course corrections that fit where your tribe is in their social media journey.

I knew the last episode of this podcast was going to be hard to swallow. I didn't know it would be THAT hard to swallow

The feedback I received from my last episode - the one where I changed my tune a little bit and said that I actually DO think there are some types of bad media - was nothing short of amazing. I had people telling me that I confused them, that their entire media approach was now in question, and one person said they were wrecked by what I had to say. That was not my intention at all. I'm sorry to have discouraged anyone. My goal was to point out that things we have done thus far in our media approach to our businesses - that may have been working at one point - often stop working as the media landscape changes. What do you do then? You make a course correction. If you don't, you will wind up wasting your efforts because less and less will come from them. So, in this episode, I'm making the attempt to get rid of the confusion by clarifying what I meant. I hope you'll take the time to listen.

When you have to make a course correction you can wind up feeling like everything you've done so far was a waste. The truth is, everything you've done has set you up for success

When I first started applying the idea that I needed to be a media company that happened to sell real estate, I produced a game on Facebook called Mathweg Monday Trivia. It was a blast to do and I had a lot of fun getting to know people in my area - Madison Wisconsin. My sole focus was to build relationships with people, which happened in spades. I also happened to get 30 to 40 home sales per year from the connections I made through the game. But somewhere along the line, the momentum that came from that approach to media began to change. I had to make a course correction or else I would suffer diminishing returns. In this episode, I want to help you evaluate your media efforts in order to thoughtfully determine whether it's time for you to make a pivot.

Aspire to be a media company that happens to sell real estate? Then understand that the people who respond to you have something in common. Discover it and lead them

Being a media company that happens to sell real estate is about being a leader to a very specific group of people, you might call them your tribe. They are people who see the world the same way you do, care about the things that you care about, and want to work with people who are generally like them. The point of being a media company that happens to sell real estate is not that you get to have fun creating social media stuff. The point is that you use media as a tool to connect with the people who uniquely resonate with you and your message. But before you get the cart before the horse, you need to find the horse - and that is the cause you will champion that will draw your tribe to you. I explain this a lot better in the audio of this episode so make sure you take the time to listen.

A course correction is not a failure, it is the application of wisdom that allows you to make changes that will sustain your success

I fully expect that everyone who is striving to be a media company that happens to sell real estate will have to make changes in their media approach over time. Very few of us get our message and approach exactly right the first time. Even if we gained a lot of traction with our initial efforts we should still expect that we will have to pivot, at least in some ways, somewhere along the line in order to continue being effective. It's not only because we are always refining our message, it is because people in the world change as time goes on. If we don't change along with our culture and region we become the dinosaurs. Listen to this episode to learn what I've discovered about discovering the need for those kinds of impacting course corrections.

Outline of this great episode

[0:27] Why such a bad name for this podcast - and why this episode is talking about the last episode

[3:20] My hesitation to bring up this issue last episode in the first place, I didn’t want to wreck you. Sorry :(

[09:55] Bad media used to work. No regrets allowed, but when things changed, you could feel it

[12:30] Finding your tribe and pivoting to fit their interests better is essential

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

On this episode I am going to say something and that you probably thought you would never hear me say. There is such a thing as bad media. As the social media landscape changes, our approach to social media has to change with it. In this episode, I am going to walk you through some of the changes I have made and why I think that the things I've done in the past won't actually have the same beneficial impact they had back when I first did them. It's a surprising episode that you won't want to miss, so be sure you guzzle the juice on this one.

A couple of examples of “bad media” publication and how these guys made incredible changes that are making a difference

I don't mean to throw anyone under the bus and the guys I'm going to talk about on this episode know that that's not what I'm doing. In fact, they agree with me entirely about the things I'm going to say. Here's the scoop: some of the agents I coach used to do a daily Facebook LIVE show that highlighted current issues. Their hope was that they would get exposure and find potential clients through those daily interactions. But it simply didn't work. It wasn't targeted enough and it wasn't aligned with a cause that would enable them to pull in a specific audience. One of those guys has now adjusted his approach to focus on Veterans and things are beginning to take off. Find out how you can make the tweaks to your media approach that will bring you greater success, on this episode.

Instead of just putting out content, we have to be putting out the RIGHT content for our audience. And we may need to target an entirely new audience!

Every real estate agent can serve every buyer or seller. That is the basic fact of the way the real estate industry works. But not every agent SHOULD be serving every buyer or seller. The reason is, there are people out there with specific needs and interests who are looking for someone with those interests in mind to be their agent. When you are able to center your media efforts around a certain type of buyer or seller and focus all of your media content on that specific demographic, you are able to build momentum like never before. Find out some of the ways that successful agents are making it happen. on this episode.

Media efforts that were working 2 years ago could be adding to the noise now. Find out how to make tweaks to your approach to fit your audience better

I first got the idea that being a media company that happens to sell real estate was the way to go when I began doing my Monday trivia game. I got tons of interaction with the game, it was a lot of fun for everyone involved, and I sold 30 to 40 houses per year from the leads I got interacting with people through the game. But I'm not certain that approach would work today. It's too broad and it doesn't focus on attracting a specific group of people. In this episode, I walk through some of the approaches I've seen work and why I've changed my focus to a very niche, specific type of customer - the trailing spouse.

If you can’t find a cause to champion that you can focus your media around, you're publishing bad media

If you have never heard episode 3 of this podcast I want you to go back and listen to it as soon as you stop listening to this episode. The Reason? In that episode, I talked about the importance of championing a cause and the concept is still at the foundation of everything I do when it comes to publishing media. When you publish media that is not focused around a cause, you are publishing what I consider to be bad media. It's media that is taking up lots of your time but not getting you anywhere because it doesn't attract the specific people you should be attracting. In this episode, I'm going to explain to you how you can avoid the bad media trap.

And finally, if you would be so kind - leave a rating and review for the Onion Juice podcast on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes)

On this episode, I talk to my friend and coworker Caleb Jahr about vlogging. Yes, I said vlogging. If you are unfamiliar, vlogging is a video blog. Caleb is one of those real estate agents who understands that being a media company that happens to sell real estate is a great way to build trust, be vulnerable and real and help people get to know you. Caleb talks about how he turned a discouraging piece of advice into a successful brand, and how vlogging can add value to your real estate business.

The challenging way is probably the right way

Sometimes the traditional approach is the right approach. In Caleb’s case, that is just the opposite. Soon after starting out as a real estate agent, Caleb approached a mentor to ask about how to sell real estate. His mentor, while well intended, offered that his vlog seemed scattered and made him vulnerable, and he was not sure how it was helping Caleb. This of course would be discouraging, so Caleb stopped vlogging...and the world waited in anticipation for him to publish more content. When he finally started publishing again, he got tons of positive feedback. I should know, I’m addicted to watching his stuff. Caleb’s vlog, which he publishes to a few times a week, documents what he is working on in a day, or life events, such as the birth of his new baby.

You are one piece of content away from breakthrough

Caleb’s videos have not gone viral yet, but that does not discourage him. The reality is, if you are publishing content to youtube or facebook or Instagram, you may be one piece of content away from a breakthrough! You never know what video or picture or caption may speak to someone, who then shares it or likes it and launches your real estate business to new heights.

The long game is 18 months

If you are thinking about starting a vlog to help you sell real estate, keep in mind the long game. On average, it takes 18 months of consistent content before your brand may gain momentum. Don’t get discouraged if you publish a video and only a few people like it initially. At some point, people will look back and see that you have a long history of pushing relevant content, and that will help you build even more credibility!

So you want to start vlogging?

So, you want to start a vlog? Caleb Jahr is someone you should pay attention to in this space. He has even published a video that details the process of how to start a vlog! His advice to agents just starting out is to not overthink it. Nobody is automatically comfortable on camera, content does not have to be polished and perfect, people (usually) don’t yell at you for having a camera on all the time. He also said that when he first started, he did not publish consistently, and that may have hurt him a little. He recommends figuring out a schedule, then creating a theme or an overall story that you want to tell. In the post-editing, add some upbeat music and keep the video short. Check out his “how-to” video below!

Merry Christmas, Juicers! You have heard me talk about being a media company that happens to sell Real Estate. In this episode, you can join me behind the curtain to see my approach to starting a media company. I go into detail about how I built and launched the I Love Madison Show! Check out this episode for some great tips on how you can launch your own media company! If you are new to the Onion Juice and want to catch up, you can go back and ear guzzle the last 118 episodes! Don’t worry, they never get stale!

What is the I Love Madison Show?

The I Love Madison show is all about connecting people in the community, especially the “trailing spouses.” If you moved to Madison because your spouse took a new job, it can be very hard to make new friends or find people who share similar interests. I hope the show will help people build community, and highlight all of the amazing places around the city that Madison residents enjoy. Every week, my team will highlight a new meetup for you to explore, interview a Madison resident about their recent move and how they got connected, and feature a local influencer from the city. As a result of these connections and community meetups, I get the chance to meet people in the community, and if the need arises, offer my services as a realtor. This is the power of being a media company that happens to sell real estate.

The ILM Brunch Club

I love Madison is more than just a podcast! Each month leaders from the community will host an event called the I Love Madison Brunch Club. This 90-minute event is designed to connect people to each other and to the needs of the community. Attendees will have 30 minutes to network, followed by 30 minutes of talks based on the idea of “lifestyle.” After the lifestyle talks, there will be topic tables where community members can go to get more information on a particular subject or interest. The goal is to launch the Brunch Club in January of 2018!

The Game of Magnets

There are tons of fun things planned for the I love Madison Show, including the Game of Magnets! There will be magnets with a number and the I Love Madison logo all over town. If you see one of those magnets you can take a picture of it and post to social media. This will “ register” that magnet under your name, and put you in the running to win several prizes. Check out the I Love Madison website, or Episodes 1-2 of the I Love Madison podcast on iTunes for more information!

The Madison Food Tournament

Food is a great way to bring people together, so I decided to host the Madison Food Tournament! Each month, I will choose a restaurant category to feature, then ask all of you I Love Madison listeners to submit your favorite restaurants. The submissions will be narrowed down to a top eight, then top two and a champion will be crowned! I can’t wait to launch this, so make sure you check the I Love Madison website to learn more!

Outline of this great episode

[1:00] Sponsors

[3:50} I Love Madison Show - connecting people that are new to Madison

[4:45] Neil explains each segment of the show

[5:15] What is a trailing spouse?

[6:15] The I Love Madison Brunch Club - lifestyle networking

[7:40] The Insiders guide to Madison

[8:40} Game of Magnets

[9:40] Madison food tournament explained-

[11:00] The tide raises all ships - how being a media company can help you attract more business

Welcome back to the Juice Bar! This is my Q&A session of the Onion Juice Podcast where I answer your real estate questions. On this episode, I’ll be answering questions about agents with ego, handling rejection, and how to plan your most successful open house. I will also give you a few tools you can use as a real estate agent that will help you be successful! Thanks to all of the agents who submitted questions, you guys are awesome! Remember, the juice bar is open every 10th episode, so you can go back and ear-guzzle the previous episodes to hear questions other realtors have submitted, and submit your own questions for future episodes!

The tide raises all ships

As a real estate agents, we want to be successful, but it is easy to let that success go to our heads. I have encountered a number of agents that develop a large ego after attaining a measure of success. Instead of staying humble, these agents elevate themselves over others and usually operate with a scarcity mentality or the mentality that they will not share success because they have to “protect what is theirs.” I think that this mentality ultimately hurts the real estate industry and causes division between agents. Contrastly, operating with an abundance mindset means that there is room for everyone to succeed. If you are working alongside someone who has lost focus on growing together, I would encourage you to continue running your own race. Stay focused on how you want to practice generosity and encouragement. These are the things that will sustain your success long-term. Check out this section of the episode to learn more.

As an agent, how can I deal with rejection?

Many agents struggle with the feeling of being rejected or passed over for a real estate deal. It can crush your spirits and cause you to feel disheartened about your work. I have been in that position many times myself, so I would offer this advice to realtors struggling to maintain confidence through rejection. First off, remember that you are not entitled to anyone’s business. You may be running ads, paying for leads and spending a lot of time looking for new leads. This can lead to a feeling of entitlement, and when that expectation is not met, it turns into frustration. Secondly, I would advise you not to let your successes or rejections become your identity. I have put together a list of resources that you can use to build your confidence and help you handle rejection, as it relates to being a real estate agent. To get your hands on those resources, text the word “strength” to 44222.

How can I drive traffic to my open-house events?

Open-house events are a terrific way to network with people, build trust and create a list to reference later. First off, some of you may just need to be more consistent with hosting open houses. Once or twice a month may feel like a lot, but you may need to host one everyone weekend, depending on your goals. You can also adopt a joint-marketing approach by partnering with other realtors to show several listings. You can host a “poker run,” where your guests travel to five different properties. At each place, your guests receive a playing card, and at the end, whoever has the best hand wins a prize. Jason Frazier also suggests offering a bottle of wine as a free raffle item to your guests. Once the open house is over, you can reach out to the winner with the prize! This is a great way to build trust and likability. It’s important to remember also that there may be multiple buyers who attend your event, so having other options available if the one you are showing sells is a smart idea. I have used an old-school approach and actually knocked on the doors of other houses in the neighborhood, to see if anyone is interested in listing. If you are hoping to up your game in this area, check out this episode! You can also check out episode #101, which focuses just on open houses.

I am on a budget, should I start with the Roundbox Coaching Program or buy an Easy Agent Pro website first?

The best answer is...it depends! Both Roundbox and Easy Agent Pro offer tremendous value to real estate agents, so I would start out by saying if you really want to expand your business, you should consider both long-term. If you are just starting out selling real estate, and you don’t have a clear idea or plan as to the direction you want your business to go, I would love to help you get started. Once we have that plan in place, you will need a place to send your leads and gather information, which is where the Easy Agent Pro website comes in.

Outline of this great episode

[6:00] Welcome back to the the juice bar

[11:00] Question #1: What approach should we take when dealing with another agent’s inflated ego?

[18:15] Question #2: How can agents deal with rejection and lack of confidence?

[27:30] Question #3: How can I drive traffic to my open houses?

[33:00] Question #4: How can I get more client reviews for my website?

[36:30] Question #5: Should I invest in Roundbox coaching or an Easy Agent Pro website first?

I met Leah Roe at a networking event in Madison, Wisconsin called A Million Cups. She is very well connected in the Madison area and spends a significant amount of time giving back to the community. Ever since Leah told me about the company she started, I have been excited to have her on the OJ as a guest! If you are a real estate agent who is considering hiring a virtual assistant, listen to this episode first, it’s a game-changer!

Military Affiliate Virtual Assistant Network

Leah said she had no intention of starting a business when she asked her sister to be her virtual assistant. Leah wanted to have a greater impact in her community through her work but realized she would need someone to help her handle all of the little details that seemed to eat up her day. Her sister agreed to the position, and did such an outstanding job, Leah’s clients and connections started asking where they could hire a virtual assistant of such high caliber. The result was MAVAN or Military Affiliate Virtual Assistant Network. The goal of MAVAN is to help military spouses re-claim or recreate their professional identities and help professionals increase their impact.

The intersection of identity and Impact

The reality of being a military spouse means moving frequently, often with no control over the destination. Companies are often hesitant to hire military spouses, due to long onboarding processes and a high turnover rate. Leah’s sister, Anna is a military spouse and has experienced all of these setbacks before becoming a virtual assistant. As a MAVAN, Anna has been able to reclaim her professional identity, create another source of income for her family and be the ever-present parent that her children need. The MAVANs Leah hires all have Master’s degrees and several years of business experience. This level of training ensures that each assistant is able to help professionals expand their business impact.

Creating a transformational relationship

Leah says MAVAN creates relationships with impact-driven professionals that are “Transformational, not just transactional.” She looks for clients who want to connect with their assistants and help empower their careers. For the MAVANs, working as a virtual assistant offers the chance to get excited about the work they are doing, provides career advancement opportunities and a community of like-minded individuals. Leah creates these relationships by finding professionals and asking them what tasks are preventing them from making their biggest impact. Once she has a list of the tasks, she reaches out to the MAVAN network to see who is interested in that kind of work. From there, she facilitates a conversation between the professional and the MAVAN.

When real estate agents and MAVANs connect, great things can happen!

As a real estate agent, your day may be filled with small tasks that are preventing you from making the biggest impact possible. Scheduling showings, following up with clients, setting appointments and managing your social media are all valuable, until those tasks prevent you from forming new relationships and acquiring new clients. If you want to take your business to the next level, you should strongly consider hiring a MAVAN! Listen to Leah Roe talk more about how she is helping impact-driven professionals on this outstanding Onion Juice episode!

Most people think that branding consists of your logo and a slogan that you pitch on your website and social media. Jason Frazier, the founder of realestatecio.com joins me to talk about what branding really is, common misconceptions associated with branding and how real estate agents can build a strong brand that helps establish trust.

The 3 pillars of branding

Do your customers choose your brand first? This question gets right to the heart of branding. Branding isn’t about logos or slogans. Branding is about forming a relationship with your customers — a relationship where they know your brand, they like it and trust it. Jason says branding is “what consumers say to other consumers about your business.” Do consumers know about you? If they do, do they like working with you? Lastly, but most important, do they trust you? These are the three critical pillars of growing a successful real estate business. Listen to the rest of the conversation to hear more about building a strong brand!

Commodity vs. brand

There has been a recent shift in how people approach buying and selling real estate. Everything looks the same, agents are all using the same techniques and pitches, companies are trying to feel more personal and individual agents think they need to look for corporate. Essentially, the real estate industry is being commoditized. Jason shares that a commodity just results in a simple transaction, but a brand creates an experience and a uniqueness that people will want to experience over and over.

Camera-first branding

For a long time, “branding” referred to your logo and slogan or the print material your company produced. In today’s camera-first world, logos and slogans are hardly relevant anymore, certainly in the real estate world. Consumers relate to people, not slogans. Jason Frazier says “the about page on a realtor’s website is the second most visited page,” a sign that people care more about who they are working with than what the company logo looks like. If you are a real estate agent publishing content, don’t worry about polishing the content or making everything perfect, your clients don’t care, I promise! Publish content, be personal and vulnerable, and make mistakes...it will pay off in the end!

Jason shares branding tools and tips

Unlike your video and social media content, there are a few things Jason Frazier says every real estate agent NEEDS to do. “Take the time to set up a professional email,” Jason says. It’s easy for free mail services to be replicated by malicious parties posing as you, which can cause huge headaches and even potential scams directed at your clients. “I am not going to work with a mortgage lender whose email ends in @gmail.com,” says Jason, “it’s risky sending personal information over those channels and it makes it harder to establish trust.” He also recommends having your own website in addition to a corporate bio page, if you are working at a large real estate firm. This offers some flexibility regarding the look and feel, allows you to present your personal brand, and “travels” with you if you decide to leave that company. Jason also introduces an amazing software called G Suite, that allows you to streamline your process if you have multiple domains and emails to keep track of.

Outline of this great episode

Integrates into everything, multiple emails, alias domains and other entities

[7:45] Neil introduces Jason Frazier

[10:30] The 3 pillars of branding

[13:00] How a strong brand can help you build trust

[17:15] Commodity vs. brand

[21:15] Why your “about page” is the most important page on your website

www.EasyAgentPro.com/OJ - get $100 off by using this link (both my site and my company’s website are EAP sites… check them out below)

You know I always talk about being a media company first on the OJ, when it comes to Real Estate. Now I would love to introduce my newest sponsor who is a mortgage company who feels the same way. www.masonmcduffiemortgage.com

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be true to yourself, to listen to your heart and follow your vision. This onion juice episode is inspired by a conversation I had with a good friend of mine, Caleb Jahr. Caleb is a talented young man and a fellow realtor at Realty Executives here in Madison. Caleb understands the power of being a media company that happens to sell real estate, but like many of us got sidetracked on his vision after some discouraging advice was offered. I had a feeling Caleb may not be alone, some of you may have also experienced this, so episode 115 is focused on courage, specifically the courage it takes to follow your vision.

The courage to be true to yourself

If you are a media company who happens to sell real estate, there's a good chance not everyone will understand your approach. In the real estate business, there are many agents who follow a very traditional approach. Be professional, network a lot, polish everything...this is how you generate business. While this approach works for many realtors, the opposite is also true. People relate better to imperfect people, or videos that are unpolished. I have received the most views on my videos that are spontaneous or something unexpected happens. The key to being successful here is understanding that not everyone will understand why you present content this way, but it is important to retain your own voice and style.

If you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two

Caleb Jahr is not a man who lacks vision. Through his daily Vlog, he has not only built a following around Madison but has earned the trust and the business of several individuals. He is authentic and real and fun to listen to. When a mentor tried to encourage him by telling him that the Vlog would ultimately hurt his reputation because it was “unprofessional,” Caleb adopted a different vision, ruining the first one. For a while, he stopped Vlogging and started using a traditional approach. Andrew Wommack, a teaching pastor I listen to often said: “if you want to ruin a man’s vision, give him two.” Caleb had two ideas of how he should build a client list and generate business, both very much in conflict with each other. The mentor was not intentionally trying to undermine him, he just didn’t understand Caleb’s vision.

Enjoy the climb

I know that many of you juicers enjoy the process as much as the end results. It’s so important that you are having fun while you are attracting business. I could jump on Zillow and generate leads to build my team and probably see an increase in business, but I would not enjoy it, it would not fulfill me. I am launching the “I Love Madison” show because I love the climb. I believe at the end of the day this nontraditional strategy will work because I love what I do and people see that.

Borrow someone's courage

If you are at a roadblock, being a media company that happens to sell real estate and you are struggling, call me, I want to talk you through it and help you keep going! If you are afraid to start, call me. It’s hard to start, but once you get going, it won’t be long before you are comfortable, then you will be celebrating the one year mark, then two and it keeps growing from there. Mathweg Money Trivia and the Onion Juice are examples of this. Even today, I am reliving these principles as I launch the “I Love Madison” show. I feel like I have built this giant jet plane and I am not even sure if it will fly, but it is something that I believe in, and believe it will have an incredible impact on my community.

Chelsea Peitz is a content creator, author, and Snapchat pro! She has just launched her new book, “Talking in pictures - how Snapchat changed cameras, communication, and communities,” and joins us today on the onion juice to share how real estate agents can use camera-first platforms like Snapchat to build a brand and build trust through authentic relationships. Chelsea spent nine months documenting her own process of using camera-first social platforms to grow a business and establish a strong brand. The OJ nation knows we want to be companies that attract business, not chase it. Chelsea’s book and the tips she shares on this episode can help you do just that!

How Snapchat made it personal

At some point in the evolution of social media, the major platforms like Facebook and Instagram lost the personal connection. Perfection was the standard, even if it was content from a smaller company or an individual. If not for Snapchat, this trend may have continued. Chelsea said that the Snapchat platform has encouraged people to be authentic and relatable, even unscripted. In doing so, they have revitalized how people are connecting and sharing ideas and content. Events are being shared in real-time, groups are being formed around shared interests and networking feels more intentional. If you are unsure how Snapchat or other camera-first platforms can help you establish or grow your brand, you need to listen what Chelsea shares in is this episode!

Authenticity builds trust

For real estate agents and media companies, Snapchat offers an unpolished approach to networking and sharing content. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but Chelsea makes the point that people can't relate to perfection. They can, however, relate to real people and real stories. If you are authentic online, clients will feel like they already know you when you meet face to face. This is a powerful way to build trust and create a great experience every single time.

The most underutilized marketing tool you have

Chelsea shows the same personality and interest in people on Snapchat as she does in person. She has not tried to make her brand look or feel more corporate, but instead shares life stories and advice and interacts with each of her followers. She feels that realtors and small business owners have an advantage over large brands because they can market a personality, not just a company. “Likeability is the most underutilized marketing tool we have,” Chelsea said.

The power of being vulnerable

So many people don’t understand the power of being vulnerable. People see the word and they run from it because they don’t understand it. As media companies who happen to sell real estate, we need to understand that being vulnerable makes it easier for people relate to us. I can say from personal experience, the social posts that have the most engagement are the ones where I am the most real or vulnerable. The reverse effect is also true. If people cannot relate to you or your story, they are less likely to support your cause or business. Chelsea mentioned that It takes time to get comfortable in front of a camera, but eventually you will get to a point where you feel you can open up to your audience on a more personal level. As you master these skills, you will attract more business and build deep, meaningful relationships, and THAT is a reason to smile today!

Outline of this great episode

[4:45] Neil introduces Chelsea Peitz

[6:30] Chelsea on launching her new book Talking in pictures - how snapchat changed cameras, communication and communities

[8:35] How Snapchap changed the social media game

[10:20] How to build authentic, caring relationships on social media

[11:45] Chelsea shares advice on how to launch a brand or personal business

Juicers, if you think Facebook is the only way to generate leads, you NEED to listen to this episode. Tyler Zey From Easy Agent Pro joins me to talk about 10 different ways you can market your real estate business, not including Facebook! We have spent a lot of time in the last few episodes talking about the real estate mastermind in Park City, and Facebook seemed to dominate the conversation, so today we decided to do something different. Check out these 10 real estate marketing Ideas!

Print is still relevant

Are print flyers still a relevant thing? According to Tyler, yes! With the overabundance of digital ads that people receive every day, it seems like a print flyer would be irrelevant. In reality, stats are showing that many people actually prefer something they can hold in their hands, especially millennials. An effective flyer is easy to create and canvassing costs are generally very low, making this a great option for realtors looking for more leads. Tyler and I talk about the best way to format a real estate flyer and how you can use them to point people towards your listing page.

The best way to host an open house

Open houses are still a great way to build relationships and meet potential new clients. Even though open houses seem low-tech, Tyler recommends using a digital sign-in that automatically pushes your visitors towards a CRM, like LionsDesk. This system not only captures information real-time but allows you to automate a thank you email or show other listings your clients may be interested in. This is also a great opportunity for clients to meet you face to face, build trust and reinforce your brand.

Think Social

There are lots of social media platforms to choose from. Tyler and I spend a few minutes talking about the major players, including YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest. Each platform offers a distinct advantage, both in the way content is displayed and the ways you can interact with clients. If you need to add social media to your arsenal, Tyler shares several great strategies Realtors can implement quickly and easily.

Create your own “Top 25”

The "top 25" came as a result of the "I love of Madison" Blog. I started connecting with 25 other business owners in my community twice a month to share ideas, refer business and build relationships. I have had great success using Instagram to find local businesses, then I reach out and ask how I can help provide value. If each business sends two real estate referrals a year, that significantly impacts my real estate business.

The “top 25” was #10 on MY list for this episode, but Tyler reminded me that podcasting is also an effective strategy for realtors. This podcast has already helped generate several leads, so I think he’s right about the effectiveness. Check out the episode to hear more detail on all ten real estate marketing ideas with Tyler Zey!

Juicers! This episode is packed with amazing information from my friend and SEO expert, TJ Kelly! I let TJ “take over” the podcast this week so he could share how real estate agents can maximize their search engine optimization and increase exposure. TJ clarifies how SEO started and how it has evolved, a few best practices and several tips that realtors can implement today.

What is SEO?

Somewhere in a top-secret bunker, Google is running an algorithm that controls how content is archived and displayed...or something like that...TJ explains that when people think of “Search Engine Optimization,’ they may think of Metatags or ranking number one on Google. He says that these factors are not as relevant to how SEO algorithms are programmed today. In reality, there are multiple factors to pay attention to.

The eight factors of SEO

SEO today is far more involved than it’s inception in the 90’s. TJ explains the eight different factors of SEO and how focused attention to each of them can dramatically improve a realtor’s visibility online. TJ talks about the importance of page factors and site factors, how collaboration can springboard your business online and why social media is a critical component. This fits into the Onion Juice idea that we are “media companies who happen to sell real estate.” Super cool stuff!

Your corner of the web

As a realtor, your website is one of the best places to display your brand, build client loyalty and of course, market your skills and services. There are several things you can do to maximize the visibility and SEO of your website. TJ talks about the importance of header text, backlinks and text content. Listen to this section with a pen in hand, as he provides a ton of value for real estate agents who need to improve their SEO.

Three SEO tips you can start using today

To provide outstanding value to all of you juicers, I asked TJ to share three tips that you can use to start improving your SEO today! The first thing he recommended was to start writing a blog. The more content you can produce, especially text, the more material Google has to index as relevant to your subject. The second thing TJ suggests is to use a Q&A format on the blog. “Think about all the questions people ask you as a realtor, then write out answers to them,” he said. This not only allows people to look up those answers on your site, but it also helps establish your authority on a subject. The last tip he shared was to collaborate with other people and share content. Google views links from one site to another almost like a vote, so the more collaboration you can create, the more your content is being “voted” positively. There is so much great stuff in this episode, thanks to TJ Kelly!

Dustin Brohm is to the onion juice what Bill Murray was to Late Night. Seriously, this guy has been on the Onion Juice podcast SO MANY times, he is practically a co-host. I sat down with Dustin to talk about what happened this week at the Utah Mastermind, a real estate summit in Park City, Utah. Twenty-six of us gathered to share ideas, develop business plans and learn some very powerful tools to help our businesses grow. Besides having a ton of fun, everyone who attended walked away with real value. Dustin drops some amazing nuggets, so make sure you listen with a pen in hand!

The snap pack is back

Last year, 8 realtors got together on the OJP (ep #23) to talk about how we were using Snapchat to sell real estate. We dubbed ourselves the “Snap Pack,” and had a great conversation about how to be media companies that happen to sell real estate. On THIS episode, Dustin talks about why we decided to expand the summit to 26 people, the goal for the Utah mastermind and the power of having a group of like-minded people in one place for several days.

Attract business with Google's new tools

There was SO MUCH great content shared at the 2nd annual Utah Mastermind. Dustin Brohm presented some outstanding content on why Google continues to be a relevant source for realtors looking for new leads. I was so excited about what he presented and how much he knows about how to use Google effectively. On this episode, he talks about some of the new tools that Google has launched recently, such as Google posts, how to optimize SEO and why these techniques can help you as a realtor. Listen to all the great nuggets Dustin shares.

Facebook tips and tricks that WORK

Facebook ads can be complicated to build and manage. Dustin Brohm shares his process for simple, effective ads on this episode of the OJP. This guy is an expert facebook marketer when it comes to real estate, so you can take what he says and turn it into gold. Dustin was able to simplify many of the concepts with us, which provided tremendous value. Listen to the full recap on this episode.

Why you should attend the Utah mastermind

If you are a realtor looking for new ways to attract business, you should seriously consider attending the Utah mastermind summit. I asked Dustin Brohm, one of the founders to talk about what the culture at the summit is like, and how it provides value to real estate agents. He talked about the fun, laid-back approach that is prevalent, but also the intense focus that is present from everyone. “There was 26 of us, everyone had a laptop out and was planning, and even implementing new ideas immediately,” he said. “There are people here who have been doing real estate for decades, and people who have only been in the business for a year.” It was a great summit and a great conversation with Dustin Brohm.

Outline of this great episode

[5:00] Dustin Brohm introduced

[6:45] What is the Utah Mastermind for realtors

[10:30] Dustin recaps day one at the mastermind: Best practices for using Google to generate leads

[15:30] Google posts - The brand new Google tool you should be using

[19:00] Dustin shares some best practices for using Facebook ads that actually work

Juicers! My friend Danny Phee joins me this week on the OJP to drop some knowledge on how to turn Facebook Messenger into a powerful tool for your real estate business! I am so excited about this content and how powerful it is, and of course, grateful to Danny for taking a few minutes to share it. Grab a pen (and a straw) and drink up this delicious new content.

Facebook Messenger as a CRM

As a realtor, the ability to connect with potential clients, build trust and personalize each experience is critical to your success. If you are looking for a way to manage client profiles, organize relevant content and increase your likability (thereby increasing trust), you MUST listen to what Danny Phee shares on this episode of the Onion Juice Podcast. “There are 1.2 billion people using facebook messenger, says Danny, but it wasn’t until recently that I started looking at FB Messenger as a customer relationship management (CRM) software.” He shared how using this tool can eliminate incorrect data, such as phone numbers or emails and how messenger can help realtors establish a lasting, joyful connection with their clients, even before you meet them.

Tailoring personal content for your clients, automatically

Each client you work with as a realtor will have different questions, expectations, and budgets. Danny talks about how the new tools in Facebook Messenger can help you organize relevant content automatically, using tools such as ManyChat and Bots. He shares how to integrate these tools, even if you are not technically inclined.

The Duke of URL

Danny Phee had so many great things to share (most of them in acronyms) on this episode of the Onion Juice Podcast. He talks about how K.L.T. affects every client’s decision to work with a realtor and what you can do to maximize this. “Clients want to work with someone they know, like and trust (K.L.T.)” Danny says. “Using messenger is a great way to build K.L.T...they (clients) get to see who you are, what you are doing, what you are posting...when they are ready to buy or sell a house, you are the first person they think of.” I loved this transparent approach, especially since it helps attract business, not just chase it. Drink up, this stuff is a blast!

All the right features in all the right places

Danny and I talk about how a marketer or agent can provide tremendous value to the clients by utilizing the new features in the messenger app. These include the ability to send a payment, share schedules and events, and capture live video, among others. “Once they have interacted with you on messenger, you can send out tailored content straight to people’s messenger inbox,” he said. All of these functions happen inside the app, so it's “frictionless.” There is a lot more ear-guzzling content in this episode, hope you enjoy it!

Outline of this great episode

[3:00] Neil shares how to implement an array of valuable marketing tools

[7:45] Danny Fee Introduced

[9:00] How the Facebook Messenger app may be the new game-changer

[12:30] How to increase customer engagement while providing more value

[15:45] Danny shares his best practices for marketing real estate deals on FB

Juicers! Welcome to this hilarious episode of Onion Juice, where I sit down with my good friend Jason Kotecki, the guy who learned that being an adult can have serious side-effects, so he created a company called Escape Adulthood. Their mission? Annihilate Adultitis. He’s not talking about using Monopoly money or signing everything in finger paint, although that would be fun to witness, but escaping the mundane, joyless person that takes themselves too seriously. On this episode, we talk about how you can attract people to your business by being yourself, several creative ideas you can use to bring fun back to your workplace, why you should take your job seriously, but not yourself and the dynamics of working alongside a spouse. I have no doubt this episode could be the reason you are smiling today!

Author, artist, speaker, professional permission granter

Jason Kotecki has many titles, but he is most proud of the fact that he, along with his wife, has started a movement to eliminate adultitis, an illness that causes a lack of imagination, a play-it-safe mentality and general lack of fun in life and work. “I am a professional permission granter and reminder-er” he laughs, “I basically remind people of what they already know but have forgotten.” He’s talking about a sense of curiosity, the ability to delight in the little things and be passionate about life. Adultitis is the opposite. Think the grinch, or Ed Rooney, the principle from the movie “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.” When he mentioned the term “Adultitis” to Seth Godin (yes, THE Seth Godin...I guess they were pen pals or something), Seth said “that literally means “The swelling of Adult,” a phrase Jason says perfectly describes the dilemma, aka too much adult.

Remember, be yourself

For real estate agents struggling to market themselves and attract more customers, Jason says the key to success is to be your unique, authentic self. Instead of only thinking of yourself as an agent, remember that you are also an artist, and artists use their art to attract people. You’re thinking “dude, i can’t paint, and singing is an ABSOLUTE NO,” so how does that work? Jason reminded me that being yourself, allowing your personality and humor to shine is the best way to build relationships. “If you are watching and copying another person’s approach, chances are you are a second-rate version of the person you are copying, instead of a first-rate version of yourself,” he says. Take your JOB seriously, but don’t take YOURSELF so seriously.

A sense of whimsy

Do you love what you do but hate where you work? What would happen if you loved your work AND your workplace?? Is this even possible? As a retro t-shirt wearing author and speaker, Jason has been in lots of different work environments and shares his wisdom on how to bring back the fun and bring people together. From office Olympics to playing spoons while interviewing potential employees to renaming normal spaces to things like “the awesome room,” Jason said in all the places that there was a sense of whimsy and fun, there seemed to be a certain buzz or energy, and the people really enjoyed working with each other. Jason gives permission (so you’re off the hook) to all the juicers listening to be whimsical and ridiculous while working. Super fun.

Work backward from your ideal day

Staying true to what makes you tick is a super important part of being an entrepreneur or real estate agent, regardless of the external pressure to grow or scale a company or change jobs just to make more money. “I have to care about it, I have to, at the heart, be making things” explains Jason. How does he make sure he’s living each day according to a plan? He recommends spending a lot of time thinking about what makes you happy, what your ideal day looks like, then try and create a life backward from that. This approach provides clarity on what needs to be done so that “normal days” are always exceptional. For Jason, his ideal day includes time with his family. Like many real estate agents and entrepreneurs, his wife Kim works alongside him every day. Jason shares how to balance working together, how to operate within your strengths and how a mutual passion towards work is critical for success.

Outline of this great episode

[1:30] Being an artists that happens to sell real estate

[7:15] Neil Introduces Jason Kotecki

[8:00] The Adultitis Epidemic

[10:15] Jason talks about how “going back to your childhood” can benefit your current business

[13:00] How real estate agents can increase likability and land more clients

[15:30] Jason suggests ways to fight Adultitis in the workplace

[19:30] Jason on why you should take your job seriously, but not yourself

You may or may not have about a crowdfunding campaign out there that’s trying to set up a marketplace to “beat Zillow.” Regardless, you’re in for a treat because this episode features my buddy Jason Frazier. He recently wrote an article in response to the BZ movement saying that if you really want to beat Zillow, it’s easy. Stop using it. But that’s not really the issue - the issue is that you do the work needed to build a business that makes you the Grand Poobah, the Noble Lumpkin, the Digital Mayor of your little corner of the world - and attracts clients to you in powerful ways as a result. Want to know how? Jason brings the fire on this episode so be sure you listen!

When you create a clear plan and user experience you’ll be able to beat Zillow’s game.

There are many companies out there trying to build a better real estate app. The idea is that if they can create a better user experience they can actually beat Zillow and not be so dependent on it. The problem is that you’re not going to beat Zillow in that way. They’ve gained the lead and already have a great app that shows well on every platform - and they have the financial backing to keep it that way. But what you can do is do whatever it takes to make your specific marketing plan and community-directed user experience better than Zillow can ever create. Why? Because you are there in the midst of your community, Zillow isn’t. Find out how Jason Frazier describes this kind of community-targeted marketing, on this episode of Onion Juice.

Are you focusing on becoming the digital mayor of your town?

It’s no secret that people use the internet to discover all kinds of things about the places around them. Where’s the best coffee shop? Where’s the best Thai food? Who has the best deal on used cars? AND… (drum roll, please) WHO’S THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WHO HAS SOLD THE MOST HOMES IN (enter your city name here)? That is the one and only reason why you have GOT to become the Digital Mayor of your town. You’ve got to become so closely connected to anything going on around your town that people automatically think of you when that last question comes to mind. Jason Frazier has some killer ideas about how you can make it happen, on this episode.

There are so many amazing resources available to agents today that we would have paid big bucks for 15 years ago. Your local chamber of commerce, your local newspaper, your local Craigslist, they all have information that can help you build a database of data about your market. And beyond that, you have your own data, embedded in the facts about your previous clients. You can use all of that to TRULY understand your local market - which will make you more effective in your marketing and client-acquisition efforts. If it sounds confusing, it’s not. Jason Frazier explains it all on this episode.

How my digital media efforts have built a business I love (and how they are attracting customers).

In case you hadn’t noticed, I LOVE my real estate business. Why do I love it so much? Because I get to do exactly what I like to do - be the leader of a media company that happens to sell real estate. How did I get to that place? I focused on being a resource and a source of entertainment for the people of my city (Madison, Wisconsin) and over time those same people have come to see me as THE real estate professional of choice in town. And I did most of it digitally - online - using social media (and podcasts). You can hear my testimony to the power of digital media as a means toward building a business you love on this episode, so be sure you take the time to listen.

Outline of this great episode

[6:09] Who is Jason Frazier and why is he on this episode about beating Zillow?

[8:05] The issue is not Zillow, the issue is your fellow agents (and your listings).

[10:44] The first step to beating Zillow as an agent.

[15:06] Advice to feed something that is going to build your business apart from Zillow.

[19:10] Take the time to mine your own data so you know where to focus your efforts.

Are you familiar with the concept of “The Snowball Effect?” It’s a process by which you’re able to leverage one real estate transaction into two, three, five, or more. How is it possible? It happens when you learn how to market in a savvy way that makes the most of the opportunities you’re given. On this episode of The Onion Juice podcast, I’m going to walk through a few examples of how the snowball effect can start and the impact it can have on your business. Are you ready to be challenged to get out of your comfort zone? If so, this one could be HUGE for you!

If it weren’t for one of my early mentors, I’d have missed the power of the snowball effect.

You’ve probably seen the cartoons, or maybe a real-life example of someone rolling a huge snowball downhill. What happens? The snowball gets bigger and bigger as it picks up speed. That’s the idea we need to have firmly implanted in our minds when it comes to our real estate transactions. We need to be looking for the ways we can push that one transaction into another, and another, and another. One of my early mentors set me on this path by stressing the importance of working hard to secure contracts with sellers. Why sellers? Because the snowball works better with sellers. In this episode, I explain how.

How can you turn one deal into many? By starting the snowball effect.

When you work with a client successfully - either a buyer or a seller - you have many opportunities within that transaction to open the door to another transaction. It’s the snowball effect in action, or like dominos falling one into another into another. It’s a chain reaction that uncovers leads that turn into customers that turn into transactions. But it won’t happen if you don’t know how to look for those touch-points where another transaction might be possible. This episode is about that. So do what you can to carve out time to listen.

Coming Soon marketing is a great way to start the snowball effect.

You’ve seen the “coming soon” kind of marketing on Facebook agents do, or even in mailers agents are sending out. It seems kind of silly at first glance… why would people care that you’re about to list another property? Here’s what you need to think about coming soon marketing: it’s not for your current seller’s sake (though that’s good), it’s a way for you to show that you’re active and aggressive to people who are looking for an agent to sell their home. When they check you out on your website or on social media they’re going to see TONS of activity that you’re doing in order to sell your client’s homes, which is EXACTLY what they want to happen for them. Listen to this episode to learn how to leverage coming soon marketing and start your own snowball rolling.

One buyer = one transaction. One listing can get multiple transactions.

When you serve a homebuyer, you’re undoubtedly doing a very good thing. But you’re only touching one client at a time in most cases. But when you serve a seller, you have the opportunity to touch many people simply because you are the point of contact for everyone who wants to see your client’s home. Every potential buyer is a potential person you can serve by becoming their buying agent, which doubles your revenue from the same transaction. You also get to meet other interested people who may not like the home you’re showing but may be open to you helping them find one they do like. That’s how you start the snowball effect from one transaction to turn it into more transactions - and I walk you through it on this episode of the podcast.

Outline of this great episode

[0:24] Who I am and why we have such a weird name for this podcast.

[1:41] What is the snowball effect and how does it work?

[6:04] Small but unnoticed things that start the snowball effect.

[8:50] Why “coming soon” marketing is powerful in a hot market.

[10:20] How you can build the mindset to confidently work with sellers.

[13:50] Continue the conversation by sharing how you’ve build your own snowball.